examiner.com: The publishing industry, searching for the next big thing, has hooked on to young adult (YA) novels as a savior of the bottom line. Much has happened since the Seattle Post-Intelligencer crowed in 21007 that a “new golden age of youth adult literature” had dawned. Twilight author Stephenie Meyer has spawned a veritable cottage industry. Romance publisher Harlequin, after having ended a YA imprint in the 1980s, has remerged this year with Harlequin Teen. General fiction authors have entered the fray, including, surprisingly, James Frey. What explains the sudden resurgence of YA novels?

Reason #5. YA novels enable their young readers to process problems and situations from a safe distance.

Reason #4. YA novels, for the most part, depict characters coming across problems for the first time – the notorious “Firsts” in life.

Read the rest here.

I think its pretty obvious that YA books are on top right now. And, I think its a wonderful thing! I have always loved reading myself so it just warms my heart to think of all the young girls (and guys) that have the same insatiable appetite for reading that I did in my teens. And there are thousands of cool books out there for them to choose from.

Do you agree with this list?

What do you think explains the rise in YA popularity?